Once in College Park, 50 girls and 50 boys from the league’s nine varsity basketball teams had the opportunity to play on the court at the Comcast Center.

According to League President Tara Moore in an email, the girls and boys who participated in the games were mainly eighth-graders who had been selected by their coaches and then arranged into two teams the day of the event.

Among the coaches for the girls were Our Lady Star of the Sea School’s Keith Balderson and Cardinal Hickey Academy’s Mark Laidley. Coaching the boys were Archbishop Neale School’s Cal Weirich and St. John’s School’s Tim McCleaf.

Moore added in the email that members of the Maryland women’s basketball team joined the league between girls and boys games to provide the jumpball for the boys game. Moore’s email also mentioned that the SYBL cheerleaders met with the university’s spirit squad to get an up-close-and-personal critique of their routines and learn new techniques for cheering.

Then, the league stuck around to see the Maryland women play Boston College in an Atlantic Coast Conference match-up Sunday afternoon, which Maryland won 85-62.

Moore said in her email that SYBL cheerleaders were given the opportunity to cheer on the court during timeouts and at halftime. Little Flower School and Mother Catherine Spalding School performed in the first half, while Father Andrew White School and St. Peter’s School cheered in the second half, and all of the cheer teams performed a cheer during halftime.

“The SYBL is very grateful for all that the University of Maryland does to make this event an outstanding day for everyone,” Moore said in ending her email.

Saturday’s action

The previous day, Saturday, there was limited action on the SYBL courts, with three of the four games being decided by eight points or less. Both boys games were decided by three points.

St. Michael’s School rallied back to knock off St. Mary’s Bryantown School, 45-42.

St. Michael’s trailed 24-15 at halftime and got to within 32-30 heading to the fourth quarter. The momentum continued in the final period for St. Michael’s; it came all the way back to win.

Jaleen Sauls led St. Michael’s (7-3 overall) with 23 points, and Tyler Young had 16. Derrick Carter led St. Mary’s Bryantown (5-5) with 19 points, and Matthew Sharkey had 13.

Cardinal Hickey got out to a huge lead early and held on at the end to beat St. John’s School on Saturday, 25-22.

Cardinal Hickey led 11-2 after the first quarter, but that was trimmed to just 15-11 at halftime. It took a 21-15 lead to the fourth quarter and picked up the win by three points.

Frank McGarvey led Cardinal Hickey (3-7) with 17 points, and Cameron Russell led St. John’s (2-8) with 10 points.

In girls, St. Mary’s Bryantown pulled away in the fourth quarter en route to a 36-28 victory over St. Michael’s on Saturday.

St. Mary’s Bryantown led 14-9 at halftime and 16-15 heading to the fourth. The two teams combined to score two more points, 33, in the final period than they did in the first three quarters combined.

Emma Thompson scored 14 points in the fourth and led St. Mary’s Bryantown (4-5) with 18 points. Ashlee Gorman scored nine points in the fourth and led St. Michael’s (1-9) with 17 points.

In the other girls contest Saturday, Cardinal Hickey knocked off St. John’s, 30-10. Cardinal Hickey led 13-0 after the first quarter and 19-2 at halftime.

Marissa Laidley led Cardinal Hickey (10-1) with 11 points, and Samantha Vanslyke had 10. Camryn Dougherty led St. John’s (0-10) with four points.